Systems and methods for locating and/or mapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for locating and/or mapping buried utilities are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more magnetic field sensing locating devices include antenna node(s) to sense magnetic field signals emitted from a buried utility and a processing unit to receive the sensed magnetic field signals may be mounted on a vehicle. The received magnetic field signals may be processed in conjunction with sensed vehicle velocity data to determine information associated with location of the buried utility such as depth and position.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. More specifically, but notexclusively, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

BACKGROUND

Locating devices (interchangeably referred as “utility locators”, orsimply “locators”) for detecting utilities that are buried or obscuredfrom plain sight are known in the art. Such locating devices aregenerally hand-held locators capable of sensing magnetic fields emittedfrom hidden or buried utilities (e.g., underground utilities such aspipes, conduits, or cables) or other conductors, and processing thereceived signals to determine information about the conductors and theassociated underground environment.

Traditional methods for locating utilities (referred to as ‘locateoperation’, or simply ‘locate’) using such locating devices involve amanual technique where a technician carries a locating device in handand moves about the geographical region to search for the presence ofthe buried utility based on audio and/or visual feedback from thelocating device. Such methods, though useful, requires a technician tohold the locating device in a still and upright position above theground for lengthy periods of time to locate buried utilities. Further,these methods are limited to locating utilities within small and/orconfined geographical regions In instances where the geographical regionto be searched include streets and intersections, such a manual methodof locating utilities can only be performed during night hours.Moreover, it is often required to seek approval from designatedauthorities before initiating the manual locate operation on the streetsand intersections. It is challenging and almost impractical to use suchmethods when the geographical regions to be searched span across milesor include multiple areas and/or cities, or include freeways, highways,busy streets, and the like.

In recent years, few semi-automated methods of locating and/or mappingutilities have been developed. However, such methods are unnecessarilycomplex in nature, expensive, and some of these methods require anoverhead of fixing radio signaling devices at regular spaced intervalsalong the geographical locations of interest. Further, such methods havea limited use in locating and/or mapping utilities at specificgeographical locations only. Also, these are unsuitable for use ingeographical regions including busy streets, freeways, highway, and thelike.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art of global, precise, easy to use,cost effective, and efficient systems and methods for locating and/ormapping utilities that addresses the above-described as well as otherproblems.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates generally to systems, and methods for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities. More specifically, but not exclusively,the disclosure relates to systems and methods for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using one or more magnetic field sensinglocating devices mounted on a vehicle.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities having one or more magnetic fieldsensing locating devices mounted on a vehicle and supported thereon byat least a partially non-magnetic and non-electrically conductivesupport assembly. The locating devices, in operation, senses one or moreutilities buried along or across a path of the vehicle, and collectsutility data pertaining to such buried utilities. The locating devicesmay include, amongst several other components, a processing unitprogrammed to receive a vehicle velocity data and to process the utilitydata in conjunction with the vehicle velocity data to determineinformation associated with the location of the buried utilities.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include atleast one magnetic field sensing locating device mounted on a vehicle.The locating device may include at least one antenna node to sense oneor more utilities buried along or across a path of the vehicle, andcollect, in response to sensing, utility data pertaining to the buriedutility. Further, the locating device may include a processing unitcoupled to the antenna node, to process the utility data in conjunctionwith a velocity of the moving vehicle to detect location of the buriedutility.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities having one or more magneticfield sensing locating devices mounted on a vehicle and supportedthereon by a support assembly. The locating devices may include, amongstseveral other components, a processing unit configured to locateutilities buried along a path of the vehicle, which may be moving at aspeed of more than 3 meters per second (m/s).

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities having one or more magneticfield sensing locating devices mounted on a vehicle, where each of thelocating devices may be configured to simultaneously receive and processa combination of passive radio broadcast signals and activemulti-frequency magnetic field signals emitted from a buried utility anddetect, based in part on the passive radio broadcast signals and activemulti-frequency magnetic field signals, location, orientation and depthof the buried utility.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include a pairof locating devices mounted on a moving vehicle in a spaced apartrelationship, a support assembly for receiving and supporting thelocating devices thereon in a fixed orientation, and a positioningdevice operably coupled to each of the locating devices and locatedcentrally from each of the locating devices at a predefined positionrelative to one or more antenna arrays disposed in each of the locatingdevices to process data received from the locating devices. Thepositioning device may be, for instance, a Global Positioning System(GPS) or Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna located inthe middle of a horizontal plane common to antenna arrays of thelocating devices.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include aplurality of magnetic field sensing locating devices, including at leasta first locating device and a second locating device supported by atleast a partially non-metallic and/or non-electrically conductivesupport assembly, which may include an elongated frame attached to andextending transversely from a hitch receiver of the vehicle. Theelongated frame may have locator mounting assemblies at two opposingends thereof to receive and support the first locating device and thesecond locating device in a spaced-apart relationship on the movingvehicle, whereby each of the first locating device and the secondlocating device may detect a location of the buried utility. The systemmay further include a positioning device coupled to the first locatingdevice and the second locating device and supported on an elongated mastprojecting outwardly from a central mounting assembly positionedcentrally from the locator mounting assemblies over the partiallynon-metallic and/or non-electrically conductive support assembly. Thepositioning device may generate one or more absolute positions of theburied utility based on the location of the buried utility detected bythe first locating device and the second locating device.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include aplurality of magnetic field sensing locating devices mounted onto aplurality of vehicles for locating one or more buried utilities whenmoving along or across path(s) of the buried utilities. The system mayinclude a remote server communicatively coupled to the locating devicesto obtain data pertaining to the buried utilities from the locatingdevices, which may be stored in a database associated with the remoteserver. The remote server may include various modules and/or componentsto process the utility data based on preconfigured algorithms,techniques, rules, and/or parameters, to detect optimized and/orprobable locations of the utilities, and/or generate corresponding mapsto display such detected locations. The maps may be provided tocorresponding users on their electronic devices.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include amagnetic field sensing locating device coupled to a positioning devicesupplying a precise pulse synchronization signal to the locating device.The locating device may be mounted on a vehicle to collect utility datapertaining to a buried utility upon sensing the buried utility whilemoving along or across a path of the buried utility. The locating devicemay include a processing unit configured to timestamp at least a portionof the collected utility data relative to the precise pulsesynchronization signal obtained from the positioning device.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system may include a firstmagnetic field sensing locating device mounted on a vehicle. The firstmagnetic field sensing locating device may include a first processingunit configured to collect utility data pertaining to a buried utilityat a first set of location data points; the first processing unit mayinclude a first slave clock configured to synchronize to a master clockto timestamp the collected utility data collected in accordance with thefirst slave clock. The system may further include a second magneticfield sensing locating device mounted on the moving vehicle. The secondmagnetic field sensing locating device may include a second processingunit configured to collect utility data pertaining to a buried utilityat a second set of location data points. The second processing unit mayinclude a second slave clock synchronized to the master clock totimestamp the collected utility data in accordance with the second slaveclock. Furthermore, the system may include a positioning device coupledto the first locating device and the second locating device. Thepositioning device may include the master clock. The positioning devicemay correlate the timestamped utility data collected at the first set oflocation data points and the second set of location data points in atime domain to detect and trace a location of the buried utility withinthe geographical region.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The method may includeobtaining, by a locating device mounted on a vehicle, utility datapertaining to a buried utility, detecting location of the buried utilitybased in part on the utility data, and providing the location of theburied utility to an electronic device associated with the vehicle. Themethod may further include updating the location as the vehicle movesalong a general path of the buried utilities.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The method may includeobtaining, by a remote server, aggregated utility data pertaining to aburied utility collected by a plurality of locating devices mounted ontoa plurality of vehicles moving along a path of the buried utility,detecting, based in part on the aggregated utility data, an optimizedlocation of the buried utility, and subsequently generating a mapindicative of the optimized location of the buried utility, which may bedisplayed on electronic devices associated with respective vehicles.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The method may includeobtaining, by a remote server, aggregated utility data pertaining to aburied utility collected by a plurality of locating devices mounted ontoa plurality of vehicles moving along or across a general path of theburied utilities, detecting, based in part on the aggregated utilitydata, an optimized location of the buried utility, and subsequentlygenerating a map indicative of the optimized location of the buriedutility. The map may be displayed on electronic devices associated withrespective vehicles.

In other aspects, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The method may includeobtaining, by a remote system, aggregated utility data pertaining to aburied utility collected by a plurality of locating devices mounted ontoa plurality of vehicles moving along a path of the buried utility,ascertaining a set of locations (e.g. in form of location data points)for the buried utility based on the aggregated utility data, evaluatingprobability scores for the set of locations, and generating a mapdepicting a probability contour indicative of probable locations of theburied utility with associated probability scores.

Various additional aspects, features, and functionality are furtherdescribed below in conjunction with the appended Drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present application may be more fully appreciated in connection withthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate embodiments of a system for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate exemplary arrangements for mounting the locatingdevices on the vehicle.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate embodiments of components of the locating device.

FIGS. 4A-4I illustrate embodiments of a support assembly for supportingthe locating device(s) on the vehicle, and associated components of thesupport assembly.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate embodiments of a system for locating and/ormapping a buried utility using locating devices mounted on a vehiclemoving along a path of the buried utility.

FIG. 5C illustrates an embodiment of a vehicle-mounted electronicdevice.

FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate embodiment of a system for locating and/ormapping a buried utility using locating devices mounted on a vehiclemoving along a path of the buried utility.

FIG. 7A illustrates an embodiment of a remote server implemented withinthe system, and associated components of the remote server.

FIGS. 7B-7C illustrate exemplary maps generated in accordance withvarious embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIGS. 8A-8H illustrate an embodiment of a method for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

FIG. 9A illustrates another embodiment of a method for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

FIG. 9B illustrates another embodiment of a method for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Terminology

The term “buried utilities” as used herein refers not only to utilitiesbelow the surface of the ground, but also to utilities that areotherwise obscured, covered, or hidden from direct view or access (e.g.overhead power lines, underwater utilities, and the like). In a typicalapplication a buried utility is a pipe, cable, conduit, wire, or otherobject buried under the ground surface, at a depth of from a fewcentimeters to meters or more, that a user, such as a utility companyemployee, construction company employee, homeowner or others want tolocate, map (e.g., by surface position as defined by latitude/longitudeor other surface coordinates, and/or also by depth), measure, and/orprovide a surface mark corresponding to it using paint, electronicmarking techniques, images, video or other identification or mappingtechniques.

The term ‘utility data’ as used herein, may include, but is not limitedto, the presence or absence, position, depth, current flow magnitude,phase, direction, and/or orientation of underground utility lines and/orother conductors. The utility data may further include informationpertaining to soil properties, other changes in properties of pipes orother conductors in time and/or space, quality metrics of measured data,and/or other aspects of the utility and radio broadcast signals and/orthe locate environment. The utility data may also include data receivedfrom various sensors, such as motion sensors, temperature sensors,humidity sensors, light sensors, barometers, sound, gas, radiationsensors, and other sensors provided within or coupled to the locatingdevices. The utility data may further include data received from groundtracking device(s) and camera element(s) provided within or coupled tothe locating devices. The utility data may also include timestampsassociated with the utility data. The utility data may be in the form ofmagnetic field signals radiated from the buried utility. The magneticfield signals may include active magnetic field signals directlyassociated with the buried utility, and passive magnetic field signal(e.g., radio broadcast signal radiated from a radio broadcast station),which when encountering a portion of a buried utility, induces a currentin the buried utility that generates an electromagnetic field around theburied utility. Typical embodiments use broadcast signals fromcommercial radio systems such as the AM radio system in the UnitedStates, however, other transmitted radio signals may be used inalternate embodiments. For example, an AM broadcast radio tower used bya commercial AM radio station may transmit a radio signal from adistance that is measurable within the locate operation area.

The term ‘electronic device’ as used herein refers to any device orsystem that can be operated or controlled by electrical, optical, orother outputs from a user interface device. Examples of an electronicdevice include, but are not limited to, vehicle-mounted display devices,navigation systems such as global positioning system receivers, personalcomputers, notebook or laptop computers, personal digital assistants(PDAs), cellular phones, computer tablet devices, electronic test ormeasurement equipment including processing units, and/or other similarsystems or devices. The electronic device may further include a mapapplication or equivalent software stored on a non-transitory tangiblestorage medium to receive, send, generate, modify, display, store,and/or otherwise use or manipulate maps or its associated objects.

As used herein, the term “map” refers to imagery, diagrams, graphicalillustrations, line drawings or other representations depicting theattributes of a location. Examples may include maps or images containingvarious dimensions (i.e. two dimensional (2D) maps or images and/orthree dimensional (3D) maps or images). These may be vector or rasterobjects and/or combinations of both. Such depictions and/orrepresentations may be used for navigation and/or relaying informationassociated with positions or locations, and may also contain informationassociated with the positions or locations such as coordinates,information defining features, images or video depictions, and/or otherrelated data or information. For instance, the spatial positioning ofground surface attributes may be depicted through a series ofphotographs or line drawings or other graphics representing a location.Other data, for example, reference coordinate information such aslatitude, longitude, and/or altitude data, topographical information,virtual models/objects, information regarding buried utilities or otherassociated objects or elements, structures on or below the surface, andthe like may be embedded or otherwise included into maps.

As used herein, the term, “exemplary” means “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any aspect, detail, function,implementation, and/or embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is notnecessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over otheraspects and/or embodiments.

Overview

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. More specifically, but notexclusively, the disclosure relates to systems and methods for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

The systems and methods, according to one aspect, may include one ormore magnetic field sensing locating devices (hereinafter referred to as‘locating devices’) mounted on a vehicle. These locating devices mayinclude, amongst several other components, a processing unit programmedto locate one or more buried utilities at a moving speed of the vehicle,which in a typical example is more than 3 m/s. The located utilities maybe mapped and provided to electronic device(s) associated withcorresponding vehicles. The locating devices may be supported on thevehicle by a support assembly, in several different orientations and/orarrangements, some of which will be described later in the description.

The systems and methods may further include a remote servercommunicatively coupled to the locating devices mounted on the vehicles.In one aspect, the remote server may be implemented in a cloudenvironment where the remote server may correspond to a cloud serveroperably coupled to the locating devices, and the database maycorrespond to a cloud database coupled to the cloud server.

The remote server may be configured to obtain data (hereinafter referredto as ‘utility data’) pertaining to the buried utilities from thelocating devices, maintain a database for storing utility data obtainedcollaboratively from multiple sources including, but not limited to, thelocating devices mounted on a plurality of vehicles, and process suchutility data based on preconfigured algorithms, techniques, rules,and/or parameters, to detect location of each of the buried utilities,which in some examples, is a precise and optimized location, and inother examples, is a set of probable locations of the utilities alsoexisting “as built” utility maps.

Based on the detected locations, the remote server may generate one ormore maps, which may be provided to corresponding users (interchangeablyreferred to as ‘operator’ or ‘vehicle operator’) on their electronicdevices, via a suitable communication channel. According to differentaspects, the remote server may either be configured to post-process theutility data, or process the utility data in real-time or near realtime.

Details of the locating devices referred herein, additional components,methods, and configurations that may be used in conjunction with theembodiments described subsequently herein are disclosed in co-assignedpatent applications including U.S. Pat. No. 7,009,399, issued Mar. 7,2006, entitled OMNIDIRECTIONAL SONDE AND LINE LOCATOR; U.S. Pat. No.7,136,765, issued Nov. 14, 2006, entitled A BURIED OBJECT LOCATING ANDTRACING METHOD AND SYSTEM EMPLOYING PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS ANALYSIS FORBLIND SIGNAL DETECTION; U.S. Pat. No. 7,221,136, issued May 22, 2007,entitled SONDES FOR LOCATING UNDERGROUND PIPES AND CONDUITS; U.S. Pat.No. 7,276,910, issued Oct. 2, 2007, entitled COMPACT SELF-TUNEDELECTRICAL RESONATOR FOR BURIED OBJECT LOCATOR APPLICATIONS; U.S. Pat.No. 7,288,929, issued Oct. 30, 2007, entitled INDUCTIVE CLAMP FORAPPLYING SIGNAL TO BURIED UTILITIES; U.S. Pat. No. 7,332,901, issuedFeb. 19, 2008, entitled LOCATOR WITH APPARENT DEPTH INDICATION; U.S.Pat. No. 7,336,078, issued Feb. 26, 2008, entitled MULTI-SENSOR MAPPINGOMNIDIRECTIONAL SONDE AND LINE LOCATORS; U.S. Pat. No. 7,557,559, issuedJul. 7, 2009, entitled COMPACT LINE ILLUMINATOR FOR LOCATING BURIEDPIPES AND CABLES; U.S. Pat. No. 7,619,516, issued Nov. 17, 2009,entitled SINGLE AND MULTI-TRACE OMNIDIRECTIONAL SONDE AND LINE LOCATORSAND TRANSMITTER USED THEREWITH; U.S. Pat. No. 7,733,077, issued Jun. 8,2010, entitled MULTI-SENSOR MAPPING OMNIDIRECTIONAL SONDE AND LINELOCATORS AND TRANSMITTER USED THEREWITH; U.S. Pat. No. 7,741,848, issuedJun. 22, 2010, entitled ADAPTIVE MULTICHANNEL LOCATOR SYSTEM FORMULTIPLE PROXIMITY DETECTION; U.S. Pat. No. 7,755,360, issued Jul. 13,2010, entitled PORTABLE LOCATOR SYSTEM WITH JAMMING REDUCTION; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/939,591, filed Nov. 4, 2010, entitledSMART PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES AS USER INTERFACES; U.S. Pat. No.7,830,149, issued Nov. 9, 2010, entitled AN UNDERGROUND UTILITY LOCATORWITH A TRANSMITTER, A PAIR OF UPWARDLY OPENING POCKETS AND HELICAL COILTYPE ELECTRICAL CORDS; U.S. Pat. No. 7,969,151, issued Jun. 28, 2011,entitled PRE-AMPLIFIER AND MIXER CIRCUITRY FOR A LOCATOR ANTENNA; U.S.Pat. No. 8,013,610, issued Sep. 6, 2011, entitled HIGH-Q SELF TUNINGLOCATING TRANSMITTER; U.S. Pat. No. 8,203,343, issued Jun. 19, 2012,entitled RECONFIGURABLE PORTABLE LOCATOR EMPLOYING MULTIPLE SENSOR ARRAYHAVING FLEXIBLE NESTED ORTHOGONAL ANTENNAS; U.S. Pat. No. 8,248,056,issued Aug. 21, 2012, entitled BURIED OBJECT LOCATOR SYSTEM EMPLOYINGAUTOMATED VIRTUAL DEPTH EVENT DETECTION AND SIGNALING; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/605,960, filed Sep. 6, 2012, entitled SYSTEMSAND METHODS FOR LOCATING BURIED OR HIDDEN OBJECTS USING SHEET CURRENTFLOW MODELS; U.S. Pat. No. 8,264,226, issued Sep. 11, 2012, entitledSYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING BURIED PIPES AND CABLES WITH A MANPORTABLE LOCATOR AND A TRANSMITTER IN A MESH NETWORK; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/676,989, filed Nov. 14, 2012, entitledQUAD-GRADIENT COILS FOR USE IN LOCATING SYSTEMS; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/677,223, filed Nov. 14, 2012, entitled MULTI-FREQUENCYLOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/769,202, filed Feb. 15, 2013, entitled SMART PAINT STICK DEVICES ANDMETHODS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/774,351, filed Feb. 22,2013, entitled DOCKABLE TRIPODAL CAMERA CONTROL UNIT; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/787,711, filed Mar. 6, 2013, entitled DUALSENSED LOCATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS; U.S. Pat. No. 8,400,154, issuedMar. 19, 2013, entitled LOCATOR ANTENNA WITH CONDUCTIVE BOBBIN; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/851,951, filed Mar. 27, 2013, entitledDUAL ANTENNA SYSTEMS WITH VARIABLE POLARIZATION; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/894,038, filed May 14, 2013, entitled OMNI-INDUCERTRANSMITTING DEVICES AND METHODS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/958,492, filed Aug. 2, 2013, entitled OPTICAL ROUND TRACKINGAPPARATUS, SYSTEMS AND METHODS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/022,067, filed Sep. 9, 2013, entitled USER INTERFACES FOR UTILITYLOCATORS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/027,027, filed Sep. 13,2013, entitled SONDE DEVICES INCLUDING A SECTIONAL FERRITE CORESTRUCTURE; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/077,022, filed Nov. 11,2013, entitled WEARABLE MAGNETIC FIELD UTILITY LOCATOR SYSTEM WITH SOUNDFIELD GENERATION; U.S. Pat. No. 8,547,428, issued Oct. 1, 2013, entitledPIPE MAPPING SYSTEM; U.S. Pat. No. 8,635,043, issued Jan. 21, 2014,entitled Locator and Transmitter Calibration System; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/332,268, filed Jul. 15, 2014, entitled UTILITYLOCATOR TRANSMITTER DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS WITH DOCKABLEAPPARATUS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/446,145, filed Jul. 29,2014, entitled UTILITY LOCATING SYSTEMS WITH MOBILE BASE STATION; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/446,279, filed Jul. 29, 2014, entitledINDUCTIVE CLAMP DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/516,558, filed Oct. 16, 2014, entitled ELECTRONIC MARKERDEVICES AND SYSTEMS; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/580,097, filedDec. 22, 2014, entitled NULLED-SIGNAL LOCATING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, ANDMETHODS; U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,754, issued Jun. 16, 2015, entitledECONOMICAL MAGNETIC LOCATOR APPARATUS AND METHOD; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/752,834, filed Jun. 27, 2015, entitled GROUNDTRACKING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/797,840, filed Jul. 13, 2015, entitled GROUND-TRACKING DEVICESAND METHODS FOR USE WITH A UTILITY LOCATOR; U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/798,177, filed Jul. 13, 2015, entitled MARKING PAINT APPLICATORFOR USE WITH PORTABLE UTILITY LOCATOR; U.S. Pat. No. 9,081,109, issuedJul. 14, 2015, entitled GROUND-TRACKING DEVICES FOR USE WITH A MAPPINGLOCATOR; U.S. Pat. No. 9,082,269, issued Jul. 14, 2015, entitled HAPTICDIRECTIONAL FEEDBACK HANDLES FOR LOCATION DEVICES; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/802,791, filed Jul. 17, 2015, entitled METHODSAND SYSTEMS FOR SEAMLESS TRANSITIONING IN INTERACTIVE MAPPING SYSTEMS;U.S. Pat. No. 9,085,007, issued Jul. 21, 2015, entitled MARKING PAINTAPPLICATOR FOR PORTABLE LOCATOR; U.S. Provisional Patent Application62/244,658, filed Oct. 21, 2015, entitled SIGNAL KEYING UTILITY LOCATINGDEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/949,868, filed Nov. 23, 2015, entitled BURIED OBJECT LOCATORAPPARATUS AND SYSTEMS; U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/260,199,filed Nov. 25, 2015, entitled UTILITY LOCATING SYSTEMS, DEVICES, ANDMETHODS USING RADIO BROADCAST SIGNALS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/006,119, filed Jan. 26, 2016, entitled SELF-STANDING MULTI-LEGATTACHMENT DEVICES FOR USE WITH UTILITY LOCATORS; U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 62/295,502, filed Feb. 16, 2016, entitled BURIEDUTILITY MARKER DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 62/307,365, filed Mar. 11, 2016, entitled UTILITY LOCATORSUPPORT STRUCTURES; U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/327,412,filed Apr. 25, 2016, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCATING AND/ORMAPPING BURIED UTILITIES USING VEHICLE MOUNTED LOCATING DEVICES; U.S.Pat. No. 9,341,740, issued May 17,2016, entitled OPTICAL GROUND TRACKINGAPPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; U.S. Provisional Patent Application62/350,147, filed Jun. 14, 2016, entitled TRACKABLE DIPOLE DEVICES,METHODS, AND SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH MARKING PAINT STICKS; U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 62/352,731, filed Jun. 21, 2016, entitled SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR UNIQUELY IDENTIFYING BURIED UTILITIES IN A MULTI-UTILITYENVIRONMENT; U.S. Pat. No. 9,411,067, issued Aug. 9, 2016, entitledGROUND-TRACKING SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS; U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/247,503, filed Aug. 25, 2016, entitled LOCATING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, ANDMETHODS USING FREQUENCY SUITES FOR UTILITY DETECTION; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/250,666, filed Aug. 29, 2016, entitledPHASE-SYNCHRONIZED BURIED OBJECT TRANSMITTER AND LOCATOR METHODS ANDAPPARATUS; U.S. Pat. No. 9,435,907, issued Sep. 6, 2016, entitled PHASESYNCHRONIZED BURIED OBJECT LOCATOR APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS; andU.S. Pat. No. 9,465,129, issued Oct. 11, 2016, entitled IMAGE-BASEDMAPPING LOCATING SYSTEM. The content of each of the above-describedapplications is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.The above applications may be collectively denoted herein as the“co-assigned applications” or “incorporated applications.”

The following exemplary embodiments are provided for the purpose ofillustrating examples of various aspects, details, and functions of thepresent disclosure; however, the described embodiments are not intendedto be in any way limiting. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skillin the art that various aspects may be implemented in other embodimentswithin the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities using one or more locating devicesmounted on a vehicle, optionally in combination with hand carrieddevices.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating and/or mappinga buried utility quickly, precisely, and cost-effectively.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on a vehicle movingat a speed of at least 3 m/s.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on a high-speedmoving vehicle.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices supported on a vehicle byat least a partially non-metallic and/or non-electrically conductivesupport assembly.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating utilitiesburied under the sea (e.g. undersea cables and other conductors).

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on terrestrialvehicles, submarine vehicles, and/or aerial vehicles.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on completelyautonomous, driverless or robotic vehicles.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on a vehicle movingin geographical regions including freeways, highways, and/or busystreets.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to locating buriedutilities using one or more locating devices mounted on a vehicle movingin large geographical regions in a fast and cost-effective manner.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to timestamping atleast a portion of the utility data pertaining to the buried utilitiesrelative to a precise pulse signal, such as 1PPS (pulse per second)synchronization signal provided by a positioning device.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to mapping the buriedutilities located by one or more locating devices mounted on a vehicle.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing a map toa user to indicate optimized location of the buried utility.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing a map toa user to indicate a set of probable locations of the buried utility.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing anavigational map to a vehicle operator to assist a vehicle operator tofollow the path of a buried utility.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing real-timeaudio and/or visual feedback or guidance to assist a vehicle operator toreturn to the path of a buried utility when the vehicle or the operatorloses track of the buried utility.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing a mapincluding a video tour of the geographical region showing location ofthe buried utility and associated attributes, wherein the virtual tour,in one example, may be compatible to be viewed and/or experienced in areal-world using virtual reality devices.

In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method for determininggradient tensors from tensor derivatives of a signal's magnetic fieldvectors.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing a mapincluding a heat map whereby a hierarchy of gradient and/or gradienttensor values may be represented by color, shading, patterns, and/orother representation of measured gradients at locations within the map.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities, having one or more locatingdevices mounted on a vehicle and supported thereon by a supportassembly, in which the locating devices include, amongst several othercomponents, a processing unit configured to locate utilities buriedalong or across a path of the vehicle in accordance with a velocity ofthe vehicle.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities having one or more locatingdevices mounted on a vehicle and supported thereon by a supportassembly, in which the locating devices include, amongst several othercomponents, a processing unit configured to locate utilities buriedalong or across a path of the vehicle moving at a speed of 3 m/s ormore.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities having one or more locatingdevices mounted on a vehicle moving on a freeway, the locating devicesbeing supported by a support assembly in a fixed orientation relative tothe vehicle. The locating devices include, amongst several othercomponents, a processing unit configured to locate utilities buriedunderneath the freeway.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities having one or more locatingdevices mounted on a vehicle, where each of the locating devices isconfigured to simultaneously receive and process a combination ofpassive radio broadcast signals and active multi-frequency magneticfield signals emitted from a buried utility (e.g., at a similar ordifferent bandwidth) and detect, location of the buried utility based inpart on the radio broadcast signals and active multi-frequency magneticfield signals. In one example, the processing of radio broadcast signalsincludes sampling the broadcast signals, for example, AM frequencysignals, at a sampling rate of 32 Hz, and processing multi-frequencymagnetic field signals include sampling multi-frequency electromagneticsignals at a sampling rate of 5 Hz-20 Hz. In one aspect, themulti-frequency magnetic field signals and the radio broadcast signalsare sampled at a plurality of sampling intervals of a plurality ofbandwidth. In an example, the samples or sampled signals may beoverlapping in a time domain.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities including a pair of locatingdevices mounted on a vehicle in a spaced apart relationship, a supportassembly for receiving and supporting the locating devices thereon in afixed orientation relative to the vehicle, and a positioning deviceoperably coupled to each of the locating devices and located centrallyfrom each of the locating devices to process signals or data receivedfrom the locating devices, and generate an absolute position of theburied utilities in a relative coordinate system.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system formapping and/or locating buried utilities including a plurality oflocating devices mounted onto a plurality of vehicles for locating oneor more buried utilities when moving along or across path(s) of theburied utilities, and a remote server located remotely from the locatingdevices and communicatively coupled to the locating devices configuredto obtain data pertaining to the buried utilities from such locatingdevices, which is typically stored in a database associated with theremote server. The remote server includes various modules and/orcomponents configured to process the utility data based on preconfiguredalgorithms, techniques, rules, and/or parameters, to detect optimizedand/or probable locations of the utilities, and generate correspondingmaps to display such detected locations, which may be provided tocorresponding users on their electronic devices.

According to different aspects, the remote server may be configured topost-process the utility data, or process the utility data in real-timeor near real time. The remote server, in one example, is a computersystem arranged to support a user interface, wherein a user can requesta location of the buried utility through the electronic user interface,where the location may be overlaid on a map of a geographical region, ora navigation application for display to the user.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities comprising obtaining, by alocating device mounted on a vehicle, utility data pertaining to aburied utility, detecting location of the buried utility based in parton the utility data, and transmitting the location of the buried utilityto an electronic device associated with the vehicle on which thedetected location of the buried utility is overlaid on a map of ageographical region. Such location and map may be continuously updatedas the vehicle moves over or across the path of the buried utilities.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities comprising obtaining, by eachof a pair of locating devices mounted on a vehicle, utility datapertaining to a buried utility, and transmitting the utility data to apositioning device coupled to each of the locating devices wirelessly orby other suitable means. The method further includes detecting, at thepositioning device, location of the buried utility based on processingthe utility data obtained from each of the locating devices, andtransmitting, the detected location of the buried utility to anelectronic device associated with the moving vehicle on which thedetected location of the buried utility is overlaid on a map of ageographical region for display to a user, say, a vehicle operator. Themethod further includes generating and updating the displayed location,in real-time, as the vehicle moves over or across the path of the buriedutilities.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The system comprises alocating device coupled to a positioning device supplying a precisepulse synchronization signal to the locating device. The locating deviceare mounted on a vehicle to collect utility data pertaining to a buriedutility upon sensing the buried utility while moving along or across apath of the buried utility. The locating device include a processingunit configured to timestamp at least a portion of the collected utilitydata relative to the precise pulse synchronization signal obtained fromthe positioning device. In an example, the positioning device may be aGlobal Positioning System (GPS), and the precise pulse synchronizationsignal may be one pulse per second (1PPS) signal obtained from the GPS.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a system forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities may include a first locatingdevice mounted on a vehicle. The first locating device may include afirst processing unit configured to collect utility data pertaining to aburied utility at a first set of location data points. The firstprocessing unit may include a first slave clock to synchronize to amaster clock to timestamp the collected utility data collected inaccordance with the first slave clock. The system may further include asecond locating device mounted on the vehicle. The second locatingdevice may include a second processing unit configured to collectutility data pertaining to a buried utility at a second set of locationdata points. The second processing unit may include a second slave clockto synchronize to the master clock to timestamp the collected utilitydata in accordance with the second slave clock. Furthermore, the systemmay include a positioning device coupled to the first locating deviceand the second locating device. The positioning device may include themaster clock. The positioning device may be configured to correlate thetimestamped utility data collected at the first set of location datapoints and the second set of location data points in a time domain todetect and trace a location of the buried utility within thegeographical region.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method forlocating and/or mapping buried utilities. The method may includeobtaining, by a remote server, utility data pertaining to a buriedutility from a plurality of locating devices mounted on a plurality ofvehicles, and storing the utility data in a database associated with theremote server, and dynamically detecting, based in part on the combinedutility data stored in the database, location of the buried utility. Themethod may further include receiving a user request for navigatingthrough the buried utility on a map, and mapping, based on the userrequest, the detected location of the buried utility on the map fordisplay to the user on an electronic device, wherein the displayedlocation is, dynamically, updated based in part on a subsequent changeto the utility data stored in the database. The location may bedynamically updated till navigation is active on the electronic device.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method formapping buried utilities comprising obtaining, by a remote server,aggregated utility data pertaining to a buried utility collected by aplurality of locating devices mounted onto a plurality of vehicles alonga path of the buried utility, detecting, based in part on the aggregatedutility data, an optimized location of the buried utility, andsubsequently generating a map indicative of the optimized location ofthe buried utility, which may be displayed on electronic devicesassociated with respective vehicles. The method, in yet another aspect,may be performed in real-time or near-real time as vehicle moves overthe path of the buried utilities.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method formapping buried utilities comprising obtaining, by a remote server,aggregated utility data pertaining to a buried utility collected by aplurality of locating devices mounted onto a plurality of vehiclesmoving along or across a path of the buried utility, detecting, based inpart on the aggregated utility data, an optimized location of the buriedutility, and subsequently generating a map indicative of the optimizedlocation of the buried utility, which may be displayed on electronicdevices associated with respective vehicles. Such a method, in yetanother aspect, may be performed in real-time or near-real time asvehicle moves over the path of the buried utilities.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method formapping buried utilities comprising obtaining, by a remote system,aggregated utility data pertaining to a buried utility collected by aplurality of locating devices mounted onto a plurality of vehiclesmoving along or across a path of the buried utility, ascertaining a setof locations (e.g. in form of location data points) for the buriedutility based on the aggregated utility data, evaluating probabilityscores for the set of locations, and generating a map depicting aprobability contour indicative of probable locations of the buriedutility with associated probability scores.

Exemplary Embodiments

FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment of a system for locating and/ormapping one or more buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locatingdevices, embodying the principles and concepts of the presentdisclosure.

As shown in the FIG. 1A, the system 100 may include one or more locatingdevices 102 mounted on a vehicle 104 for locating one or more buriedutilities 106 while moving along and/or crossing a general path of oneor more buried utilities 106. The locating devices 102 referred toherein may be the ones described in one or more of the previouslymentioned co-assigned applications that have been incorporated byreference in the instant application configured to locate buriedutilities at a moving speed of the vehicle 104 which, in a typicalexample, may be 3 m/s or more, and in another example, may be in a rangeof about 4-20 m/s, thereby facilitating detection of utilities in largegeographical regions spanning across multiple areas and/or citiesincluding freeways, highways, busy streets or the like, precisely andquickly.

The vehicle 104 on which the locating devices 102 may be mountedincludes any kind of a motor assisted user-propelled vehicle (e.g. motorvehicles driven by an operator) or a self-propelled vehicle (e.g.autonomous, driverless, or robotic vehicles), capable of supporting thelocating devices 102 thereon. Some examples may include terrestrialvehicles, submarine vehicles, aerial vehicles, or a combination thereof,including, but not limited to, cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles(SUVs), motorcycle, boat, ship, drone aircraft, pushcarts, bicycles, andtricycles or the like. Further, the vehicle 104 may be a high-speedvehicle moving at a speed of more than 10 m/s. Although embodimentsdescribed hereinafter in the description and appended drawings refer tolocating devices 102 being mounted on, particularly, terrestrialvehicles, this description and/or drawings are not intended to beconstrued in a limiting sense. Various other embodiments with thelocating devices 102 being mounted on other types of vehicles includingaerial vehicles and submarine vehicles (e.g., to detect utilities buriedunder the water) are deemed to lie within the principle and scope of theinvention.

The locating devices 102 may be mounted on one or more of theaforementioned vehicles, such as the vehicle 104 using a supportassembly 108. The support assembly 108 may be made of either partially,largely, or entirely of a non-metallic and/or non-electricallyconductive material. The support assembly 108 may further support one ormore positioning devices 110 such as a high precision global positionsystem (GPS) antenna, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna,or the like, which in this embodiment, may be located centrally on thesupport assembly, and is/are operably coupled to the locating devices102. The positioning device(s) 110 may, in other embodiments, beattached directly to the locating devices 102, or may be integrated intothe locating devices 102. The positioning device(s) 110 may convertposition of the buried utility 106 as detected by the locating devices102 into an absolute position capable of being represented in ageographical coordinate system (e.g. latitude and longitude).

The system 100 may further include an inductive coupling device(s) 112mounted on the vehicle 104, as shown in the FIG. 1B, for inducingcurrent into the buried utilities 106 (e.g., along a length of theburied utilities 106). The inductive coupling device 112 may be mountedin an opposite direction of the locating devices 102 using a suitablemounting arrangement, to prevent signal clipping on the locating devices102. For example, if the locating devices 102 are mounted at a rearportion of the vehicle 104, the inductive coupling device 112 may bemounted at a front portion of the vehicle 104, and vice versa.

In an embodiment, the support assembly 108 may support the locatingdevices 102 and the positioning device(s) 110 in a fixed orientation onthe vehicle 104. A specific mounting arrangement may, however, varydepending upon various factors including the number of locating devices102 to be supported and type of the vehicle 104. For example, in someaspects, one locating device 102 and a positioning device 110 may bemounted on a vehicle 104, and in other aspects, more than one locatingdevice 102 and the positioning device 110 may be mounted on a vehicle104, for locating buried utilities 106, in several possible mountingarrangements, some of which are shown in the FIGS. 2A-2E.

As shown in the FIG. 2A, a locating device 102 and a positioning device110 may be mounted at a rear portion of a vehicle 104. In the FIG. 2B,the locating device 102 and a positioning device 110 may be mounted atthe front portion of the vehicle 104. In FIG. 2C, a pair of locatingdevices 102 and a positioning device 110 may be mounted at the frontportion of the vehicle 104. In FIG. 2D, a pair of locating devices 102and a positioning device 110 may be mounted at the rear portion of thevehicle 104. In FIG. 2E, a pair of locating devices 102 with one mountedat a front portion and one mounted at a rear portion may be providedwith positioning device 110 mounted on a roof of the vehicle 104. Theseexamples may additionally include an inductive coupling device 112mounted on the vehicle 104 at a suitable position.

Although the description, in the instant application, mostly refers toan embodiment where a pair of locating devices 102 and a positioningdevice 110 are mounted on a rear portion of the vehicle 104, forexample, at a tailgate hitch receiver, and an inductive coupling device112 mounted at a front portion of the vehicle 104, this specificembodiment should not be construed in a limiting sense. Any number oflocating devices 102 either alone or in combination with one or moreseparately mounted or integrated positioning devices, and/or inductivecoupling device(s) having similar or different mounting arrangements onthe vehicle 104 such as those illustrated in the FIGS. 2A through 2E andother possible arrangements are within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate an exemplary locating device 102 and itsassociated components/elements/modules of a locating device 102. Thesecomponents/elements/modules, however, are not exhaustively listed ordescribed for the sake of brevity. Additional details on thesecomponents and/or additional components of the locating device may bereferred from one or more of the “co-assigned applications” which havebeen incorporated by reference in the instant application.

As shown in the FIG. 3A, the locating device 102 may include a body 300which may be configured differently. The body 300 may include a headunit 302, and a central mast 304, along with associated mechanicalcomponents, such as hardware, connectors, etc. The locating device 102may further include one or more antenna modules or nodes 306, which maybe of the same or similar forms, and may be molded to be coupled aroundthe central mast 304, or disposed on or within the body 300 in variousconfigurations.

The antenna nodes 306 may include an antenna configuration of multiplecoils. The antenna nodes 306 may each include a node housing and anantenna assembly. The antenna assembly may include an antenna arraysupport structure, an interior omnidirectional antenna array disposed onthe antenna array support structure, and supplementary antennas and/orsensors. One or more of the antenna nodes 306 may be a dodecahedralantenna node. Alternately, or in addition, one or more of the antennanodes 306 may be a gradient antenna node. The gradient antenna node mayinclude a plurality of orthogonally arranged antenna coils and a pair ofgradient antenna coils.

The head unit 302 of the locating device 102 may contain analog and/ordigital electronic circuitry to receive and process signals fromantennas and other inputs, such as audio inputs, camera signals, and thelike. Head unit 302 may include display, control and/or user interfacecomponents, such as one or more visual displays, speakers and/orheadphone interfaces, switches, touchscreen elements, one or more cameraelements, and the like. In one aspect, the camera elements may include apair of outward cameras 307 projecting downwardly to record imagery ofthe ground (locate area) where utilities are buried.

The electronic circuitry may include one or more processing units, whichrefers to a device or apparatus configured to carry out programmablesteps and/or other functions associated with the methods describedherein by processing instructions, typically in the form of coded orinterpreted software instructions. For instance, a processing unit asdescribed may be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor(DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, memoryelements, or any combination(s) thereof designed to control variouslocator functions, such as those described subsequently herein.

The electronic circuitry may further include a plurality of sensingunits including, but not limited to, motion sensors, such asaccelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, altimeters, other inertialsensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, light sensors,barometers, sound, gas, radiation sensors, and the like. The electroniccircuitry may further include Bluetooth radios, Wi-Fi, and/or otherwireless communication devices, cameras and/or other imaging sensors,audio sensors or recorders, global positioning satellite (GPS) sensors,global navigation satellite system (GNSS), or other satellite navigationsensors incorporated therein.

The locating device 102 may further include a ground tracking device 305coupled to the central mast 304 for tracking positions, such astranslational and rotational movements, of the locating device 102 withrespect to the ground. The ground tracking device 305 may be a stereooptical ground tracking device having one or more imagers for trackingground features of the utility path which may be utilized to track thepositions of the locating device 102. For example, the ground featuresmay be correlated in time to determine height of the locating device 102from the ground surface and various other measurements. Further, theground features may be correlated in time to calculate motion vectorsfacilitating precise determination of translational movements androtations of the locating device 102. In one example, the determinedheight, translational movements and rotations, may be used to determinedepth and orientation of the buried utility.

An exemplary block diagram of the locating device 102 may be seen inFIG. 3B. As shown, the locating device 102 may include one or moreantenna nodes 306, a receiver circuit 309 coupled to the antenna nodes306, one or more processing units 308 coupled to receiver circuit 309, avelocity module 311 coupled to the processing unit 308, a plurality ofsensing units 310 also coupled to the processing units 308, a storageunit 312 that may be an internal memory or an external memory (e.g. aUSB) coupled to the processing units 308, an audio unit 314 coupled tothe processing units 308, and a display unit 316 also coupled to theprocessing units 308.

The processing units 308 may include a user interface (UI) processor(not shown) coupled to the audio unit 314 and the display unit 316, adata processor (not shown) coupled to the UI processor and the storageunit 312 (e.g. a USB), a motion processor (not shown) having sensingunits 310 coupled to the data processor, and a field-programmable gatearray (FGPA, not shown) having associated digital filter(s), such asDiscrete Fourier Transform (DFT) filter(s) coupled to the data processorand the antenna nodes 306.

The antenna nodes 306 may receive magnetic fields signals includingactive magnetic field signals directly associated with the buriedutility 106, and passive magnetic field signals (e.g., broadcast signalsradiated from a radio broadcast station, such as AM radio station),which when encountering a portion of a buried utility 106, induces acurrent in the buried utility 106 that generates an electromagneticfield around the buried utility 106.

In an embodiment, the antenna nodes 306 may sense magnetic fields (e.g.,active and passive magnetic fields signals) emitted from buriedutilities 106 at different frequencies and/or different bandwidth andprovide antenna output signals corresponding to the sensed magneticfields to the receiver circuit 309. The receiver circuit 309 may includea receiver input 313 to receive the output signals, an electroniccircuitry 315 to process the received output signals, and a receiveroutput 317 to provide the receiver output signals corresponding to thereceived magnetic fields.

The processing unit 308 receives these receiver output signals, and mayfurther receiver a velocity information pertaining to the vehicle havingthe locating device(s) 102 coupled thereto, from a velocity module, toprocess the receiver output signals (e.g., utility data) in conjunctionwith the vehicle's velocity information to detect location of the buriedutility 106 along with an estimated depth and orientation of the buriedutility 106, which may be logged into the storage unit 312.

The processing unit 308 may further receive sensor data from the sensingunits 310 and/or ground tracking device(s) 305 and process the receiveroutput signals (utility data) in conjunction with the sensor data andground tracking data (e.g., recorded imagery obtained from the cameraelements 307), to detect position(s), depth and orientation of theburied utility 106.

In an embodiment, the processing units 308 may include associated timingcircuits 318 to register a timestamp for one or more events occurring atrespective processing units 308. Each of the timing circuits 318 may besynchronized with a timing circuit 320 of a positioning device 110,which is operably coupled to the locating device 102. The timingcircuits 318 may include respective slave clocks 322, and associatedcounters 324, which may be adjusted in accordance with a master clock326 associated with a timing circuit 320 of the positioning device 110.The master clock 326 may be operating according to a UTC (CoordinatedUniversal Time).

The positioning device 110, in an embodiment, may supply a precisepulse, for example, 1 pulse per second (1PPS) synchronization signal toeach of the processing units 308. Upon receiving this precise pulsesynchronization signal, the slave clocks 322 associated with respectiveprocessing unit 308 may each synchronized with the master clock 326associated with the positioning device 110, and the associated counters318 may be reset. The processing units 308 may then utilize theirsynchronized slave clocks 322 to register a timestamp with one or moreevents occurring at the respective processing units 308.

The timestamp, as referred herein, may include a calendar date and atime registered with a predefined degree of accuracy, say, accuracy tosecond, millisecond, and nanosecond.

The events occurring at the processing units 308 may be understood asexecution of a particular step or a part of the step of the methoddescribed in the instant application, at the processing units, and/or ageneral functional step executed at a processing unit. For instance, anexemplary event at one of the processing units 308 may be detection oflocation of the buried utility 106 (referred to as a location datapoint) within a geographical region, where the location data pointcorresponds to a particular location instance of a buried utility linein the geographical region. As the vehicle 104 moves along the path ofthe buried utility 106, the subsequent events may include detection offurther location data points within the geographical region. Theselocation data points when combined may be used for tracing the locationof the buried utility 106 within the geographical location. Otherexemplary events may include collection of the utility data, processingof sensor data, and the like.

In the context of the present subject matter, the events occurring atany of the processing units 308 may either directly or indirectlypertains to one or more buried utilities 106. Consequently, datagenerated upon occurrence of such events pertains to the utility data.This utility data, or at least a portion of this utility data, may betimestamped at the respective processing units 308 relative to theprecise pulse (e.g. 1PPS) synchronization signal received from thepositioning device 110. The timestamped utility data may thereafter beprocessed in a time domain to detect and trace the location of theburied utility and its corresponding depth and orientation.

FIG. 3C illustrates an embodiment where a pair of locating devices maybe mounted on a vehicle. As shown in the FIG. 3C, the first locatingdevice 102 may include at least a first processing unit 308 having,amongst several other components, a first slave clock 322 and a firstcounter 324, Likewise, the second locating device 102 may include atleast a second processing unit 308 having, amongst several othercomponents, a second slave clock 322, and a second counter 324.

In this embodiment, the first processing unit 308 and the secondprocessing unit 308 may synchronize their respective first slave clock322 and the second slave clock 322, with a master clock 326 associatedwith the positioning device 110 supplying a precise pulse (e.g. 1PPS)synchronization signal. Further, the first processing unit 308 and thesecond processing unit 308 may reset their respective first counter 324and the second counter 324 upon receiving the precise pulse signal. Thefirst counter 324 and the second counter 324 may be running at adifferent speed, however, these may be hit and reset by the precisepulse signal at the same time upon receiving the precise pulse signal.

In operation, the first processing unit 308 may collect utility datapertaining to a buried utility 106 at a first set of location datapoints within a geographical region, and timestamp the utility datacollected at each of the first location data points in accordance withthe first slave clock 322, which is synchronized to the master clock 326operating in accordance with a UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).

The second processing unit 308 may collect utility data pertaining tothe buried utility 106 at a second set of location data points within ageographical region, and timestamp the utility data collected at each ofthe second location data points in accordance with the second slaveclock 322, which is synchronized to the master clock 326.

The timestamped data, thus, obtained at the set of first location datapoints and the second location data points may be processed in a timedomain at the positioning device 110 or a remote system, to detect andtrace the location of the buried utility 106, and its correspondingdepth and orientation.

An exemplary supporting assembly 108 and its associated componentssupporting the locating devices 102 on the vehicle, is now describedwith reference to the FIGS. 4A-4I.

As shown in the FIG. 4A, the support assembly 108 may include anelongated frame 400 extending transversely to a hitch receiver of avehicle 104 in a mounted state. This elongated frame 400 may be made offiberglass rods facilitating the support assembly 108 to flex (as shownby dashed lines 424) upon accidently hitting the ground to prevent anydamage thereof

The elongated frame 400 may include a first end 402 having a locatormounting assembly 406 and a second end 404 having a locator mountingassembly 406, each provided for receiving and securing a locating device102 in a fixed orientation thereof using a suitable fastening mechanism,for example, clamps, or the like. Each of the locator mountingassemblies 406 may be provided with wheels 410 that normally rest aboveground level and only touch the ground if the vehicle encounters a speedbump or other roadway irregularities for preventing direct contact withthe ground at a speed that may otherwise lead to damage of the locatingdevices 102 and other associated components supported thereon.

Located in between the two locator mounting assemblies 406 may be acentral mounting assembly 412 fixedly mounted on the elongated frame 400at an equal distance from each of the locator mounting assemblies 406.The central mounting assembly 412 may include an elongated mast 414projecting outwardly therefrom to support a positioning device 110thereon such that positioning device 110 is positioned centrally fromeach of the locating devices 102 secured by the corresponding locatormounting assemblies 406. The central mounting assembly 412 may includean elongated plate 416 with its front end facing towards the vehicle 104for detachably mounting thereto a hitch base 418 being adapted to befastenably received by a hitch receiver on the vehicle 104.

A plurality of holes/apertures 420 may be provided on the surface of theelongated plate 416 allowing the hitch base 418 to be suitably anddetachably mounted into different sets of holes 420 depending upon adesirable vertical height of the support assembly 108 over the vehicle104. The holes 420 provide flexibility of vertical adjustment orreadjustment of the support assembly 108. For example, the hitch base418 may be fastened to lowermost holes 420 for achieving maximum heightor to the uppermost holes for achieving minimum height of the supportassembly 108 thereon. Such an adjustment may be made, for example, basedon the type of vehicle 104.

In one embodiment, an automated or semi-automated height adjustment ofthe support assembly 104 may be achieved based on implementing ahydraulic mechanism (not shown), which may be activated/deactivatedmanually via a control panel mounted inside the vehicle 104, orautomatically based on one or more sensing and/or imaging devicesdeployed in the locating device 102 for measuring a distance from aground surface to selectively activate or deactivate the hydraulicmechanism for vertically adjusting the support assembly 108, to maintaina predefined level gap from a ground surface. Therefore, the supportassembly 108 may easily be adjusted for rough road conditions.

The support assembly 108 may further have a collapsible arrangementand/or components (not shown) enabling the support assembly 108 tocollapse and/or be slidably stowed beneath the vehicle 104, orextendably on top of the vehicle 104 when not in use, or when vehicle104 is required to be parked at a location where the parking space islimited. The stowed support assembly 108 may be readily extended into ause state, when required. The support assembly may further include oneor more security and/or theft prevention mechanisms with associatedcomponents (not shown), such as security locks, alarms, and the like, tosecure locating devices 102, positioning devices 110, and/or othersystem components and/or devices mounted thereof.

In one aspect, the hitch base 418 may include an elongated arm 422 inorder to arrange the support assembly 108, in particular, the locatingdevices 102 away from body of the vehicle 104 to minimize or eliminateany magnetic distortion or electromagnetic field distortions thereof.Such an elongated arm 422 may be a hydraulic arm operable to adjustrelative distance of the support assembly 108 from the vehicle 104.

Other aspects and/or views of the support assembly 108 may be seen inFIG. 4B, which illustrates a front view of the support assembly 108having the locating devices 102 and the positioning device 110 mountedthereon, wherein the locating devices 102 and the positioning device 110are collinear on an X-plane 430, and FIG. 4C which illustrates asectional view of the support assembly 108 through a central mountingassembly 412 and the elongated mast 414 supporting the positioningdevice 110 thereon. As shown in the FIG. 4C, the support assembly 108may be tiltable at a tilt angle ‘0’ around a pivot pin on the elongatedarm 422 of the hitch base 418. In case the support assembly 108 hits theground, the support assembly 108 may be tilted around the hitch base 418to prevent any damage thereof. FIG. 4D illustrates a sectional view ofthe support assembly 108 through the locating device 102.

Further, FIG. 4E shows an exploded view of the locating device 102mounting arrangement on the support assembly 108. As shown, the mountingarrangement may include fasteners, such as bolts 440, attachmentbolts/clamps 442, and attachment knobs 444, fastened to secure thelocating devices 102 fixedly on respective locator mounting assemblies406. The fasteners shown in the FIG. 4E may be designed to facilitatemounting of the locating device 102 within the locator mounting assembly406 to be performed by bare hand without the need of using any fasteningtools.

FIG. 4F illustrates an exploded view of the mounting arrangement of thepositioning device 110 over the support assembly 108. As shown, theelongated mast 414 may be provided with a threaded end 450 onto whichthe positioning device 110 may be threaded and secured thereof.

The elongated mast 414 may be adjustable in length depending on heightof the vehicle 104. For instance, the elongated mast may be adjustedsuch that the positioning device 110 supported thereon reaches close tothe roof of the vehicle 104. The elongated mast 414 may further includea security lock (not shown) for securing the positioning device 110 fortheft prevention. The elongated mast 414 may also include a positioningtracking dipole (not shown), such as a GPS dipole or sonde operating ata predefined frequency, which in one example, may be around 585 Hz.

FIG. 4G illustrates a standalone view of the central mounting assembly412 including a tubular hollow body having a window 462 on each face andan elongated plate 416 positioned to face the vehicle's hitch. Asdescribed above, the elongated plate 416 may include a plurality ofholes 420 created thereon enabling adjustment or readjustment of thesupport assembly 108 at various heights onto the vehicle's hitch. Afront view of the central mounting assembly with the elongated plate 416may be best seen in the FIG. 4H, and a side view of the central mountingassembly may be seen in the FIG. 4I.

It is to be understood that the support assembly 108, its specificcomponents and/or arrangement described above by way of an exampleshould not be construed in a limiting sense. The support assembly 108may have other components and/or different arrangements capable ofsupporting locating devices 102 onto the moving vehicle 104, which arewithin the scope of the subject matter.

The systems and the methods for locating and/or mapping buriedutilities, in accordance with the present disclosure, embodying thelocating devices 102, the support assembly 108, and/or the positioningdevice 110, is now be described in the forthcoming description withreference to FIGS. 5A-9B.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate a system 500 for locating and/or mapping one ormore buried utilities 106 using locating devices 102 mounted on one ormore vehicles 104 moving along and/or crossing the paths of the buriedutilities 106 described in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

The system may include a pair of locating devices 102 mounted on eachvehicle 104, a support assembly 108 for receiving and supporting thelocating devices 102 in a fixed orientation on respective vehicles 104,and a positioning device 110 also supported by the support assembly 108on the vehicles 104. The positioning device 110 may be positionedcentrally from the locating devices 102 and is operably coupled to thelocating devices 102 for processing signals/utility data received fromthe locating devices 102 to generate an absolute position of the buriedutilities 106 in a relative coordinate system.

As vehicle travels over or crosses a path of buried utility, where thepath may be a busy street having one or more utilities buried underneath(as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B), the locating devices 102 mounted onrespective vehicles 104 may respond to location of one or more buriedutilities 106 and collect utility data (e.g. in the form of active andpassive magnetic field signals. The collected utility data may besubsequently processed to detect location of the buried utilities.According to one aspect, the utility data may be processed in accordancewith the velocity of the respective moving vehicles 104.

The detected location and associated utility data may be subsequentlyobtained by respective positioning devices 110. The positioning devices110 either alone or in combination with additional devices and/orcomponents, may be configured to synchronize and/or collect utility datafrom other moving vehicles, for example, from the locating devicesand/or positioning device mounted on the other moving vehicles. Theutility data, thus, obtained may further be processed at respectivepositioning devices 110 to generate an absolute position, depth, andorientation of the one or more buried utilities 106, which may beprovided to an electronic device associated with respective movingvehicles 104.

As shown in the FIG. 5C, at the electronic device 510, which in thisexample is a vehicle-mounted electronic device, the location of the oneor more buried utilities 106 may be displayed in the form of a map 512,such as a navigational map, of a geographical region. The map 512 maykeep on updating continuously to depict real-time position of the buriedutilities 106, as the vehicle 104 moves over or crosses the path of theburied utilities 106. The map 512 may further display a real-time viewof the vehicle 104 on the road and forthcoming path

In another aspect, the map 512 may further display location of otherburied utilities detected by other vehicles 104 moving in the vicinity.In one aspect, a real-time audio and/or visual feedback or guidance maybe provided to assist a user, such as a vehicle operator, to return tothe path of corresponding one or more buried utilities when the vehicleor an operator loses track of the buried utilities, and/or may provide afeedback suggesting the operator to slow down the vehicle, if safe to doso, for improving strength of the signals collected thereof.

Referring to the FIGS. 6A-6B now that illustrate other embodiments of asystem 600 for locating and/or mapping a buried utility using locatingdevices 102 mounted on one or more vehicles 104 moving along or crossinga path of the buried utility 106. The system 600 may include locatingdevices 102 mounted on a plurality of vehicles 104 moving along orcrossing the path of the buried utility, which in this example, is afreeway having a utility buried underneath. The location devices 102 mayinclude, amongst several other components, one or more antenna nodes 306configured to detect magnetic field signals 601-1 and 601-2(collectively referred to as ‘magnetic field signals 601’) radiated fromthe buried utility. The magnetic field signals 601 may include activemagnetic field signals 601-1 directly associated with the buriedutility, and passive magnetic field 601-2 (e.g., radio broadcast signal)radiated from a radio broadcast station, which when encountering aportion of a buried utility 106, induces a current in the buried utility106 that generates an electromagnetic field around the buried utility106.

The system 600 may further include a support assembly 108 to receive andsupport the locating devices 102 on the vehicles 102. The supportassembly 108 may be made of a partially non-magnetic and/ornon-conductive material, for example, at least in the region surroundingthe locating devices 102. In another example, the support assembly 108may be made completely of a non-magnetic and/or non-conductive material.Further, the system 600 may include a positioning device 110 alsosupported on the vehicles 104 by the support assembly 108, whereby thepositioning device 110 may be operably coupled to the locating devices102 on respective vehicles 104 for processing signals/utility datareceived therefrom to generate position of the buried utility 106 in arelative coordinate system. The positioning device 110, referred herein,may also either be directly attached to the locating devices 102, orintegrated into the locating devices 102.

As shown in the FIG. 6A, the system 600 may further include activetransmitter(s) 603 and/or inductive coupling device(s) 604 coupled tothe buried utility line for actively transmitting and/or inducingcurrent into the buried utility line 106. In another aspect shown in theFIG. 6B, the inductive coupling device 604 may be mounted on thevehicles having locating devices 102 mounted thereto for inducingcurrent into the buried utility 106, and for tuning to signals inducedby other moving vehicles 104. The system 600 may further includes aremote server 606 coupled to the locating devices 102 mounted on thevehicles 104 via a suitable communications technology which, in specificexamples described herein is a GPS technology; however any suitablecommunications technology can be utilized herein. The remote server 606may include a database 608, which may be a non-transitory internalmemory implemented within the remote server 606, or a non-transitoryexternal memory coupled to the remote server 606. In one embodiment, theremote server 606 may be implemented in a cloud environment (not shown)where the remote server 606 may correspond to a cloud server operablycoupled to the locating devices 102, and the database 608 may correspondto a cloud database coupled to the cloud server.

As vehicle 104 travels over or crosses the path of buried utility 106,the locating devices 102 mounted thereon respond to a location of theburied utility 106, and collect utility data, which is processed at therespective locating devices 102 to detect location of the buried utility106. The data collection and processing may be performed in accordancewith the velocity of the vehicle 104. The detected location and/orutility data may be obtained by the positioning device 110, and may befurther processed at the positioning device 110 to generate an absolutepositioning of the buried utility 106 that may be, along with otherutility data, transmitted to the remote server 606. The detectedlocation and/or associated utility data, in other examples, may bedirectly transmitted to the remote server 606 from the locating devices102.

In one embodiment, data transmission to the remote server 606 may occurin real-time or near real-time. In another embodiment, the datatransmission may occur at periodic intervals, at a predefined timeperiod, say, at the end of the day. Further, the data transmission mayoccur automatically based on preconfigured rules and/or algorithms, oran operator may manually upload the utility data onto the remote server606. In some embodiments, a prepaid mailing service may be provided byan entity managing the remote server 606 to operators of the vehicles104, for mailing a removal storage media (e.g., a USB) containing thecollected utility data at a certain time interval, say at the end of theday, or at the end of the week. Upon receiving the utility data, theentity may upload the utility data on the remote server 606, and mayreturn the removal storage media to respective operators. The abovedescribed ways of transmitting the utility data to the remote server 606are not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Any suitable datatransmission methods or technologies may be utilized to transmit theutility data to the remote server 606.

Upon receiving the utility data, the remote server 606 may store theutility data obtained collaboratively from the locating devices mountedon the plurality of vehicles 104, in the database 608, and may processthe utility data based on preconfigured algorithms, techniques, rules,and/or parameters, to detect location of the buried utility, based onwhich, the remote server 606 may generate one or more maps that may beprovided to corresponding users on their electronic devices, via asuitable communication channel. The remote server 606 may either beconfigured to post-process the utility data, or process the utility datain real-time or near real time, based on a velocity informationassociated with the moving vehicle 104.

Such a remote server 606 is now described in greater detail withreference to the FIGS. 7A-7C.

The remote server 606, as described herein, may be any electronic devicecapable of computing, such as a computer, a server, a cluster ofcomputers or servers, cloud computing, server farm, server farms indifferent locations, etc. The remote server 606 may include multiple andseparate components that may be electrically connected or interfacedwith one another as appropriate. The remote server 606 may be accessibleto a plurality of electronic devices 510 associated with the movingvehicle 104 and/or its user/operator, via a communication link 702,which may include a satellite communication, or any type of network or acombination of networks. For example, network may include a local areanetwork (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), ametropolitan area network (MAN), an ad hoc network, a cellular network,or a combination of networks.

The electronic device 510 may include display device, computing deviceor a wireless telecommunications device such as smart phone, personaldigital assistant (PDA), wireless laptop, a notebook computer, anavigational device (e.g. a global positioning system (GPS) device), orany portable device capable of displaying and/or manipulating the maps,or executing a navigation application. The electronic devices 510 mayfurther include vehicle mounted display devices. In one example, theremote server 606 may include a software application hosted thereon,which is accessible by the electronic device 510. In another example,the remote server 606 may provide proprietary programs or applications(apps) executable on each of the electronic devices 510.

As shown in the FIG. 7A, the remote server 606 may include a processingunit 704, a memory 706 coupled to the processing unit 704, interface(s)708, an analysis unit 710 coupled to the processing unit 704, and amapping unit 712 coupled to the processing unit 704. The remote server606 may further includes the database 608 configured to centrallymaintain the utility data obtained from a plurality of locating devices102 mounted on a plurality of vehicles 104. The database 608 may be anon-transitory memory implemented either within the remote server 606(e.g., the memory 706), or located externally of the remote server 606and coupled thereto.

The processing unit 704 may include a single processor, or multipleprocessors, all of which could include multiple computing units. Theprocessor(s) may be implemented as one or more microprocessors,microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, centralprocessing units, state machines, logic circuitries, field-programmablegate array (FGPA), and/or any devices that manipulate signals based onoperational instructions. Among other capabilities, the processor(s) isconfigured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions and datastored in the memory.

The memory 706 may include any computer-readable medium known in the artincluding, for example, volatile memory, such as static random accessmemory (SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and/ornon-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasableprogrammable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, andmagnetic tapes.

The interface(s) 708 may include input/output interfaces, and agraphical user interface enabling a user to communicate with the remoteserver 606 by requesting and receiving information therefrom.

The analysis unit 710 and the mapping unit 712 may be different modulesthat may include, amongst other things, routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, or software instructions executable by theprocessing unit to perform particular tasks or methods of the presentdisclosure.

In one aspect, the analysis unit 710 may obtain utility data pertainingto one or more buried utilities 106 from one or more locating devices102 mounted on corresponding vehicles 104. The vehicles 104 may includedifferent vehicle(s) moving along a path of the buried utility, samevehicle(s) moving along or across a path of the buried utility inmultiple passes, or a combination thereof. The vehicles 104, in oneexample, may be separated in time and/or space. The utility data mayinclude geographic location coordinates of the utility, for example,latitude and longitude of the utility, geometric reference of theutilities, depth, and the like. Upon receiving the utility data, theanalysis unit 710 may be configured to process the utility data. Theprocessing may include, for example, aggregating the utility datapertaining to each of the buried utilities. The analysis unit 710 maystore the utility data as the utility data 714 in the database 608, andthe processed data, which in said example, is the aggregated data as theaggregated utility data 716 in the database 608 from where it may beretrieved, when required.

The mapping unit may obtain the aggregated utility data 716 from thedatabase 608, and process the aggregated utility data 716 based onpreconfigured algorithms, techniques, rules, and/or parameters to detectan optimized location of the buried utility 106. The processingperformed by the mapping unit 712 may include comparing the aggregatedutility data, pertaining to a specific buried utility obtained fromdifferent sources (e.g., different locating devices and/or vehicles) toidentify an optimal location of the buried utility, which may be storedas mapping data 718 into the database 608. The processing may furtherinclude ranking the utility data based on predefined parameters or usingpreconfigured ranking algorithms to identify an optimal location of theburied utility. Also, the processing may include executing preconfiguredoptimization algorithms to identify an optimal location of the buriedutility. As a result of the processing, the mapping unit 712 may beconfigured to generate a map 512, as shown in the FIG. 7B, indicative ofthe optimized location of the buried utility 106. This map 512 may beprovided to corresponding users on their respective electronic devices510, via the communication link 702.

In some embodiments, the mapping unit 712 may ascertain a set oflocations for the buried utility 106 based on the aggregated utilitydata. For instance, the mapping unit 712 may be configured to receivethe utility data and apply a preconfigured algorithm to generate a setof locations, which may be identified in terms of data points within ageographical region. For the identified set of locations, the mappingunit 712 may evaluate probability scores using preconfigured probabilityalgorithms, and generate a map 512, as shown in the FIG. 7C, depicting aprobability contour 730 indicative of probable locations of the buriedutility, and additionally the associated probability scores. The map 512may be provided to users on their respective electronic devices 510, viathe communication link 702.

In an embodiment, the mapping unit 712 may be configured to overlay thedetected location(s) of the buried utility 106 on a pre-existing map ofthe geographical location, which is preloaded onto the electronic device510. In another embodiment, the mapping unit 712 may be configured toobtain a map of the geographical region from one or more data sourcesincluding government entities, commercial entities, and/or privateentities, and then map the detected location(s) of the utility andassociated utility data to the geographical map to depict location(s) ofthe buried utilities on the geographical map. The maps and/or detectedlocation(s) may be updated by the mapping unit 712 upon receivingreal-time location updates to maintain up-to-date mapping of the buriedutility 106 to the geographical map.

The map 512 may be a user navigable map depicting the buriedutility/utilities within a geographical region, and directing a user todesired buried utility. The maps may also depict nearby landmarks anddistance of the buried utilities from such landmarks to provide moreadditional information to user to locate the buried utility 106. The map512 may further include images and/or videos of the buried location(s)to assist the user with finding the location.

FIG. 8A illustrates an embodiment of a method 800 for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

The method is initiated at block 802, where the method may includeobtaining utility data pertaining to a buried utility. One or morelocating devices 102 may be mounted on the vehicle 104 to collectutility data pertaining to a utility which is buried along or across apath of the vehicle 104.

The utility data may include, but is not limited to, the presence orabsence, position, depth, current flow magnitude, phase, and/ordirection, and/or orientation of underground utility lines and/or otherconductors, information about soil properties, other changes inproperties of pipes or other conductors in time and/or space, qualitymetrics of measured data, and/or other aspects of the utility, and/orthe locate environment. The utility data may further include datareceived from various sensing units 310 including, but not limited to,motion sensors, such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers,altimeters, and the like, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, lightsensors, barometers, sound, gas, radiation sensors, and other sensorsprovided within or coupled to the locating devices. The utility data mayalso include data received from ground tracking device(s), andtimestamps associated with the utility data. The utility data may be inthe form of magnetic field signals radiated from the buried utility.

At block 804, the method may include detecting location of the buriedutility based in part on the utility data. The locating device(s) 102may processes the utility data to detect location of the buried utility.The locating device 102 may include, amongst several other components,one or more processing units 308 adapted to process the utility data inconjunction with velocity information of the moving vehicle. Theprocessing may include simultaneously processing of a combination ofactive and passive magnetic field signals emitted from a buried utilityto detect location/position of the buried utility and associated utilitydata indicative of depth and orientation of the utility.

The processing may further include sampling the active magnetic fieldsignals using discrete Fourier transform (DFT) filter(s) at a firstpredefined sampling rate. In an example, the first predefined samplingrate may be within a range of 5 Hz to 20 Hz. In another example, thefirst predefined sampling rate may be 20 Hz, as shown in the curveillustrated in FIG. 8B. In another example, the first predefinedsampling rate may be more than 20 Hz. The processing may also includesampling the passive magnetic field signals using DFT filters at asecond predefined sampling rate. In an example, the second predefinedsampling rate may be, not in a limiting sense, 32 Hz, as shown in thecurve illustrated in FIG. 8C. The sampling rate may be defined,configured, or reconfigured, based on an expected maximum velocity ofthe moving vehicle. Further, the sampling rate may be self-adjusted,dynamically, based on a real-time velocity information pertaining to themoving vehicle.

The processing may further include determining gradients from tensorderivatives of a signal's magnetic field vector, hereinafter referred toas ‘gradient tensors’, at regular intervals as the vehicle moves along apath of the utility. As shown in the FIG. 8D the vehicle is crossing thepath of the utility 106, and the locating devices 102 mounted onto thevehicle 104 are detecting active magnetic field signals 601-1, andpassive magnetic field signals 601-2. As the vehicle 104 moves atregular intervals, say, at intervals ‘a’, and ‘c’ as shown, gradienttensors T1, T2 and T3 may be determined based on the magnetic fieldvectors B₁, B₂, and B₃ as illustrated in the FIG. 8E. In an instance,where the locating device 102 comprises two antenna nodes 306, as showin the FIG. 8F, the gradient tensors T1, T2 and T3 may be determinedbased on the magnetic field vectors (B_(Top1), B_(Low1)), (B_(Top2),B_(Low2)), and (B_(Top3), B_(Low3)), where B_(Top1), B_(Top2), andB_(Top3) correspond to magnetic field vectors derived from the topantenna nodes respectively, and B_(Low1), B_(Low2), and B_(Low3)correspond to magnetic field vectors derived from the lower antennanodes respectively. These gradient tensors and/or tensor componentsthereof may be used to determine location of the buried utility 106. Thelocation of the buried utility 106 may be determined at regularintervals as the vehicle 104 moves along or crosses the path of theburied utility 106. The location determined at regular intervals isinterchangeably referred to as location data points in the forthcomingdescription.

In some embodiments, the processing may further include associatingtimestamps with each of the location data points, whereby the timestampsare relative to a precise pulse synchronization signal, such as 1PPSsynchronization signal, received from a positioning device 110. Thelocation data points when combined and correlated in a time domain mayprovide a complete view and detailed information about the buriedutility 106. The processing may additionally include analyzing andcorrelating data obtained from a ground tracking device and/or cameraelement(s) in the time domain to determine depth and orientation of theburied utility 106.

In an example, a gap between the location data points may depend on avelocity information of the vehicle 104. As shown in the curve 820illustrated in the FIG. 8G, an increase in velocity of the vehicle 104may increase the gap between the location data points 810. Further, withthe increase in the vehicle's velocity, signal strength of the utilitydata collected by the locating devices 102 may often be reduced leadingto smearing of the signals as shown in the curve 8H. This smearing ofthe signals is commonly referred to as a “motion blur”. The dataprocessing unit(s) 308 carried out in accordance with the embodiments ofthe present subject matter may deconvolves the motion blur based onreconstructing the smeared out signal back to its original signalstrength, i.e., to a full signal strength which is typically observedwhen the vehicle 104 is still (i.e., velocity of the vehicle is 0 m/s).

Returning to FIG. 8A, at block 806 the method may include providing thedetected location of the buried utility to an electronic device 510associated with the vehicle 104. For instance, the detected location maybe provided in the form of a map which may be displayed on theelectronic device. At the electronic device 510, the location/map 512may be dynamically updated to display a real-time position of the buriedutility 106, as the vehicle 104 moves over the path of the buriedutility 106. A real-time audio and/or visual feedback may be provided toguide the user, such as a vehicle operator to the buried utility, andassist the user to return to the path of a buried utility 106 whenvehicle 104 or the user loses track of the buried utility 106.

FIG. 9A illustrates an embodiment of a method 900 for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

At block 902, the method may include obtaining aggregated utility datapertaining to a buried utility 106 collected by a plurality of locatingdevices 102 mounted onto a plurality of vehicles 104 moving along orcrossing a path of the buried utility 106. The aggregated utility datamay be generated based on receiving data pertaining to buried utilitiesfrom a plurality of locating devices 102 mounted onto a plurality ofvehicles 104 moving along or crossing a path of the buried utilities106, and pre-processing the collected utility data at the remote server606. The pre-processing may include aggregating the utility datapertaining to each of the common buried utilities 106, and storing theaggregated data separately in a database 608. The process of determiningthe utility data pertaining to a common buried utility may involvematching spectral signatures and harmonics data (e.g. 60 Hz harmonicsdata), which if matched indicates the utility data pertaining to thecommon buried utility. The pre-processing may additionally includeapplying pre-configured algorithms and/or rules to aggregate the utilitydata.

At block 904, the method may include detecting an optimized location ofthe buried utility based in part on the aggregated utility data. Aremote server 606 may detect the optimized location based on processingthe aggregated utility data using preconfigured algorithms, techniques,rules, and/or parameters. The processing may include, for example,comparing the utility data pertaining to a specific buried utility,obtained from different sources (e.g., different locating devices and/orvehicles) to identify an optimal location of the buried utility. Thesources, i.e., locating devices and/or the vehicles may be assigned withunique identifiers, which may be utilized by the remote server 606 foruniquely identifying the utility data obtained from different sources.The processing may further include ranking the utility data, based onpredefined parameters or using preconfigured ranking algorithms toidentify an optimal location of the buried utility, which in thisexample, may be a highest ranked location.

The processing may further include correlating the utility data alongwith associated timestamps in the time domain. The correlation mayinclude arranging/rearranging the location data points in an order ofthe time domain, and combining the arranged location data points todetect and trace the location of the utility. Also, the processing mayinclude executing preconfigured optimization algorithms to identify anoptimal location of the buried utility. The processing may either bepost-processing, real-time processing, or near real time processing. Inthe context of the present subject matter, the term ‘optimal location’or ‘optimized location’ may refer to a most probable location of theutility, or a highly ranked location of the utility, or a maximumreported location of the utility (e.g., location reported by majority ofthe locating devices).

At block 906, the method may include generating a map indicative of theoptimized location of the buried utility. The remote server 606 maygenerate one or more maps 512 depicting location of the buried utilities106 and other associated attributes of the buried utilities, such asdepth and orientation. The map(s) 512 may be provided to correspondingusers on their respective electronic devices 510, via a suitablecommunication channel 702.

At the electronic device 510, the obtaining, detecting and generatingsteps may be repeated, upon occurrence of any changes to the utilitydata, to dynamically update the map 512 to display an updatedlocation/position of the buried utility 106. This may be done, forexample, when the map or navigation is active on the electronic device510.

The map 512 may be a video tour of the geographical region showing thelocation of the buried utility 106 and associated attributes. Thevirtual tour may be compatible to be viewed and/or experienced in realworld using known virtual reality devices that enable a user to immerseinto a virtual environment realistically to experience the location ofthe buried utility 106.

The map 512 may be a heat map whereby a hierarchy of gradient and/orgradient tensor values may be represented by color, shading, patterns,and/or other representation of measured gradients at locations withinthe map.

FIG. 9B illustrates an embodiment of a method 910 for locating and/ormapping buried utilities using vehicle-mounted locating devices.

At block 912, the method may include obtaining aggregated utility datapertaining to a buried utility 106 collected by a plurality of locatingdevices 102 mounted onto a plurality of vehicles 104 moving along a pathof the buried utility. The utility data may include discrete dataincluding geographic references in terms of a latitude and longitude.Further, the utility data may include data in the form of probabilitydistributions. The probability distribution types may include normal orGaussian, exponential or log normal, beta or spline, triangular,rectangular or trapezoidal, histogram, etc. The term aggregated utilitydata, as used herein, refers to utility data pertaining to a commonburied utility obtained from multiple sources, for example, a pluralityof locating devices 102 mounted on a plurality of moving vehicles 104.

According to an embodiment, the method of aggregating the utility datamay include obtaining the utility data from a plurality of locatingdevices 102 mounted on a plurality of moving vehicles 104, andprocessing the utility data to determine if the utility data pertains toa common buried utility. The processing may involve matching spectralsignatures and harmonics data, which upon matching indicates the utilitydata that pertains to a common buried utility. The method mayadditionally include applying pre-configured algorithms and/or rules toaggregate the utility data. Such an aggregated utility data may bestored in a database 608 associated with the remote server 606, fromwhere the aggregated utility data may be retrieved, when required.

At block 914, the method may include ascertaining a set of locations forthe buried utility 106 based on the aggregated utility data. A remoteserver 606 may be configured to receive the aggregated utility data andsubsequently process the aggregated utility data using preconfiguredprobability algorithms, techniques, rules, and/or parameters to generatea set of locations, which may be identified in terms of data pointswithin a geographical region. The processing may include correlating theaggregated utility data along with associated timestamps in the timedomain to arranging/rearranging the set of locations in an order of thetime domain.

At block 916, the method may include evaluating probability scores forthe set of locations. The remote server 606 may be configured toevaluate probability scores for the identified set of locations, say, aprobability score for each of the data points. The remote server 606 mayapply preconfigured probability algorithms to evaluate the probabilityscores.

At block 918, the method may include generating a map 512 depicting aprobability contour indicative of probable locations of the buriedutility 106 with associated probability scores. For example, based onthe set of locations and the associated probability scores, the remoteserver 606 may be configured to generate a map 512, for example, aprobability contour 730 indicative of probable locations of the buriedutility. In one example, the probability contour 730 is achieved basedon joining the identified data points in view of correspondingprobability scores. The remote server may generate such a map 512 basedon a preconfigured algorithm or software. The map 512 may be provided toa user on an electronic device 510, which may be wirelessly coupled tothe remote server 606, via a suitable communication link 702. The map512 may be dynamically updated to depict updated probable locations ofthe buried utility, on the electronic device 510.

The methods 800, 900, and 910 described above, in accordance withvarious embodiments of the present disclosure, may be implemented in acomputing device. Further, the methods may be described in the generalcontext of computer executable instructions, which may include routines,programs, objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules,functions, etc., that perform particular functions or implementparticular data types. The methods may also be practiced in distributedcomputing environments that are linked through a communications network.

Further, the order in which the methods 800, 900, and 910 are describedis not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of thedescribed method blocks can be combined in any order to implement themethods, or alternative methods. Additionally, individual blocks may bedeleted from the methods without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe subject matter described herein.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions, methods, andprocesses described may be implemented in whole or in part in hardware,software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented insoftware, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or moreinstructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readablemedia include computer storage media. Storage media may be any availablemedia that can be accessed by a computer.

By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media caninclude RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magneticdisk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium thatcan be used to carry or store desired program code in the form ofinstructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc,optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray discwhere disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproducedata optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also beincluded within the scope of computer-readable media.

The various illustrative functions, modules, and circuits described inconnection with the embodiments disclosed herein with respect tolocating and/or mapping, and/or other functions described herein may beimplemented or performed in one or more processing units or modules witha general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmablegate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate ortransistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combinationthereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A generalpurpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, theprocessor may be any conventional processor, controller,microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implementedas a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP anda microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration.

Those of skill in the art would understand that information and signalsmay be represented using any of a variety of different technologies andtechniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information,signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout theabove description may be represented by voltages, currents,electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields orparticles, or any combination thereof.

The disclosures are not intended to be limited to the aspects shownherein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with thespecification and drawings, wherein reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specificallyso stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically statedotherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. A phrase referring to“at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of thoseitems, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b,or c” is intended to cover: a; b; c; a and b; a and c; b and c; and a, band c.

The previous description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enableany person skilled in the art to make or use embodiments of the presentinvention. Various modifications to these aspects will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles definedherein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the spiritor scope of the disclosure and invention. Thus, the invention is notintended to be limited to the aspects shown herein but is to be accordedthe widest scope consistent with the disclosures herein, the appendeddrawings, and their equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A system for determining buried utility information, thesystem comprising: a plurality of magnetic field sensing locatingdevices for sensing AC magnetic fields emitted as a result of currentflowing in the buried utility, including at least a first locatingdevice and a second locating device mounted on a vehicle, to determinedata associated with a location of the buried utility; a supportassembly made of at least partially non-metallic and non-electricallyconductive material, the support assembly including an elongated frameattached to and extending transversely from a hitch receiver of thevehicle and spaced-apart locator mounting assemblies fixed to theelongated frame to receive and support the corresponding first andsecond locating devices; and a positioning device supported on anelongated mast projecting outwardly from the support assembly, thepositioning device coupled to the first locating device and to thesecond locating device to generate absolute positional data of theburied utility based at least in part on the data determined by thefirst locating device and the second locating device; wherein thevehicle consists of one of an automobile, a sport utility vehicle, and atruck, and wherein the vehicle is moving faster than about 10 meters persecond during the magnetic field sensing.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the first and second locating devices each generate andassociate timestamps with the determined data in response to receiving aprecise pulse synchronization signal obtained from the positioningdevice.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data determined by thefirst locating device is correlated with data determined by the secondlocating device based at least in part on the associated timestamps togenerate the absolute positional data of the buried utility.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the positioning device is one of a highprecision global position system (GPS) system and a Global NavigationSatellite System (GNSS) system.
 5. A system for determining buriedutility information, the system comprising a positioning devicesupplying a precise pulse synchronization signal; a magnetic fieldsensing locating device mounted on a vehicle and coupled to thepositioning device, the magnetic field sensing locating device includes:at least one antenna node to sense magnetic fields emitted from a buriedutility while moving along or across a path of the buried utility; and aprocessing unit coupled to the antenna node to receive the sensedmagnetic fields and determine information pertaining to a location ofthe buried utility upon based on the sensed magnetic fields, wherein theprocessing unit includes a timing circuit programmed to timestamp atleast a portion of the determined information relative to the precisepulse synchronization signal obtained from the positioning device;wherein the vehicle consists of one of an automobile, a sport utilityvehicle, and a truck and wherein the vehicle is moving faster than about10 meters per second during the magnetic field sensing.
 6. The system ofclaim 5, wherein the positioning device is a Global Positioning System(GPS), and the precise pulse synchronization signal is a one pulse persecond (1PPS) signal obtained from the GPS.
 7. A system for locatingand/or mapping buried utilities, the system comprising: a positioningdevice including a master clock; and a plurality of magnetic fieldsensing locating devices for sensing AC magnetic fields emitted fromcurrent flowing in a buried utility in three orthogonal axes, themagnetic field sensing locating devices mounted on a vehicle and coupledto the positioning device, the plurality of magnetic field sensinglocating devices including at least: a first locating device mounted ona vehicle to determine data associated with location of a buried utilityat a first set of data points within a geographical region, the firstlocating device including a first slave clock programmed to synchronizeto the master clock to timestamp the determined data at each of thefirst set of data points; and a second locating device mounted on thevehicle to determine data associated with location of the buried utilityat a second set of data points within the geographical region, thesecond locating device including a second slave clock programmed tosynchronize to the master clock to timestamp the determined data at eachof the second set of data points; and a processing unit coupled to thefirst and second locating devices and to the positioning device toreceive and process the timestamped data at the first set of data pointsand the time stamped data at the second set of data points in a timedomain to determine absolute positional data of the buried utilitywithin the geographical region; wherein the vehicle consists of one ofan automobile, a sport utility vehicle, and a truck and wherein thevehicle is moving faster than about 10 meters per second during themagnetic field sensing.
 8. The system of claim 7 further comprising anon-transitory memory to store the timestamped data.
 9. The system ofclaim 7 further comprising a remote server coupled to the first locatingdevice, the second locating device, and to a plurality of other locatingdevices mounted on other vehicles to obtain and process the timestampeddata to determine an optimized location information associated with theburied utility.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the geographicalregion is a busy street, a highway, or a freeway.
 11. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the positioning device is one of a high precisionglobal position system (GPS) system and a Global Navigation SatelliteSystem (GNSS) system.
 12. A system for determining buried utilityinformation, the system comprising: a plurality of magnetic fieldsensing locating devices mounted on a plurality of vehicles, eachvehicle having at least one magnetic field sensing locating device forsensing magnetic fields in three orthogonal axes mounted thereto, themagnetic field sensing locating devices sense one or more buriedutilities and determine data associated with the buried utilities,wherein the data is determined based at least in part of a velocityinformation associated with corresponding vehicles moving along oracross a path of the buried utilities; and a remote servercommunicatively coupled to the magnetic field sensing locating devicesto receive and store the data obtained collaboratively from the magneticfield sensing locating devices into a non-transitory memory, wherein thestored collaborated data is retrievable and further processed todetermine location information associated with the buried utilities;wherein the vehicles each consist of one of an automobile, a sportutility vehicle, and a truck and wherein the vehicle is moving fasterthan about 10 meters per second during the magnetic field sensing. 13.The system of claim 12, wherein the data pertaining to each individualburied utility is aggregated and stored separately into thenon-transitory memory.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein a mappingunit is coupled to or integrated within the remote server to generate amap depicting location of each of the buried utilities based in part onthe determined location information.
 15. The system of claim 12, whereinthe location information includes at least a position, a depth, and anorientation of buried utilities.
 16. A method for determining andmapping buried utility information, the method comprising: obtaining atone or more magnetic field sensing locating devices mounted on avehicle, data associated with sensing multi-frequency AC magnetic fieldsignals and radio broadcast signals radiated from a buried utility inthree orthogonal axes; receiving a velocity information associated withthe vehicle; processing the sensed data in conjunction with the velocityinformation to determine information associated with a location of theburied utility; and generating a map depicting the determined locationinformation of the buried utility for display on an electronic deviceassociated with the vehicle; wherein the vehicle consists of one of anautomobile, a sport utility vehicle, and a truck, wherein the vehicle ismoving faster than about 10 meters per second during the magnetic fieldsensing. and wherein the magnetic field sensing locating devices sense adirect signal component of the radio broadcast signal and the radiatedcomponent of the broadcast signal from the buried utility and processthe broadcast signal components to separate the direct broadcastcomponent of the radio broadcast signal from combination of the radiatedbroadcast signal component and the direct broadcast signal component.17. The method of claim 16, further comprising updating the locationinformation of the buried utility on the map as the vehicle moves alongor across a path of the buried utility.
 18. The method of claim 16,further comprising providing an audio and/or visual feedback to anoperator of the vehicle when the vehicle moves away from a path of theburied utility.
 19. A method for determining and mapping buried utilityinformation, the method comprising: obtaining data associated withlocation of a buried utility from a plurality of magnetic field sensinglocating devices mounted onto a plurality of different vehicles movingalong or across a path of the buried utility; correlating the locationdata obtained from a plurality of different motorized vehicles;determining an optimized location information associated with the buriedutility based at least in part on the correlation; and generating a mapdepicting the optimized location information associated with the buriedutility for display on an electronic device associated with thecorresponding vehicles; wherein the different vehicles each consist ofone of an automobile, a sport utility vehicle, and a truck, wherein thevehicle is moving faster than about 10 meters per second during themagnetic field sensing.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the locationdata comprises a plurality of data points.
 21. The method of claim 19,further comprising ranking data points associated with the locationdata.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the optimized locationinformation is determined based in part on the ranking.
 23. The methodof claim 19, wherein the data points are associated with correspondingtimestamps.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the data points from theplurality of different motorized vehicles are correlated based on theassociated timestamps to determine the optimized location informationassociated with the buried utility.
 25. A method for determining andmapping buried utility information, the method comprising: obtaining,collaboratively, data associated with location of a buried utility froma plurality of magnetic field sensing locating devices mounted onto aplurality of different motorized vehicles moving along or across a pathof the buried utility; ascertaining a set of locations for the buriedutility based on the collaborated location data; evaluating probabilityscores for the set of locations; and generating a map depicting aprobability contour indicative of probable locations of the buriedutility based in part on the probability scores; wherein the differentmotorized vehicles each consist of one of an automobile, a sport utilityvehicle, and a truck, wherein the motorized vehicles are moving fasterthan about 10 meters per second during the magnetic field sensing. 26.The method of claim 25, wherein the data are associated withcorresponding timestamps.
 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the dataobtained from the plurality of different motorized vehicles arecorrelated based on at least on the associated timestamps to ascertainthe set of locations for the buried utility.